In the machining art where it is common to mount a cylindrical work piece for rotation on a horizontal axis for external cutting of the work piece, it is common practice to align a carriage-mounted work-performing tool, such as a cutter, on a level coincidental with the longitudinal axis or center line of the work piece prior to initiating the cutting operation. Such alignment is necessary so that the cutting tool can be advanced gradually inwardly toward the work piece center line as the cutting operation progresses, in the horizontal plane of the work piece center line to thereby achieve the most efficient cutting operation. Because of the predetermined angular orientation of the point or cutting edge of the work-performing tool, misalignment of the tool during the cutting operation can result in inefficient cutting and/or damage or dulling of the tool's cutting edge.
The current practice of attaining appropriate cutting tool alignment relative to the work piece is an unnecessarily elaborate procedure which involves sliding the tool carriage, with the work-performing tool mounted thereon, to an end of the lathe bed where the tool cutting edge can be properly aligned with a predetermined stationary mark and then returning the carriage to the desired work-performing position for initiating the cutting operation.